Revenge Was Sweeter Than You'll Ever Be
by Ketchup Packet
Summary: This is the story of the only person Azula was ever able to trust. It's a story about friendship, beliefs, sacrifices, and even love. R & R Please!


**Disclaimer: I never have and never will own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of the show's characters. I do, however, have complete and utter control over Annelle.**

Chapter one: Broken

Sweat poured down the side of my slightly bronzed face as my chest pumped up and down trying to force as much oxygen into my lungs as possible. My dark ember eyes narrowed at the fire nation soldiers that surrounded me in a slowly shrinking circle. As the wind picked up cooling my body from the intense exposure from the sun, a couple rogue strands of my black hair came loose from the tail that I had tied it up in earlier and whipped around my face.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a soldier come charging for me. I automatically spun around taking a hold of his wrist with my left hand and using the momentum of his run, I propped my right hand under his armpit and easily flipped him sending him crashing into another soldier. As if directed by a cue of some sort all of the soldiers that surrounded me came attacking all at once.

I blocked most of their attacks easily and even sent out a couple of my own, but this was strictly hand-to-hand combat, no weapons and no fire bending. Everything was going fairly well and I was feeling pretty good about my self. That was until a blast of fire narrowly missed my face, skimming past my nose with only a few inches to spare. The ember glow was reflected in my wide orange eyes and I sharply turned my head to look at the smirking fire nation soldier that had sent the surprise attack.

Glaring at the overly confident soldier I fought my way over to him as I tried my best to avoid the blasts sent my way from the other soldiers who seem to be following his lead. I wanted my revenge. When I finally reached him, despite his best efforts to avoid me, I smirked and kicked him square in his armored chest sending him flying back a few feet. Continuing my assault I ran forward and threw my fist in his direction hitting him right in the jaw. I knelt down sent my foot out in a side sweep knocking the soldier over, however my foot didn't stop there. I let my body spin fully around, white flames now coming off of my foot.

The soldiers that were attacking were now pushed back by a large wave of fire. I got up to continue fighting but I was interrupted by someone clapping. "As powerful as ever, Annelle."

My cold red eyes glanced over towards a tall man standing at the edge of the usually secluded training grounds. He was dressed in fine red silk robes; customary of nobles, and his graying hair was partially up in a small bun. I straightened myself out and bowed my head low in respect, "Hello Grandfather."

I bit my bottom lip hoping he wouldn't comment on my slightly revealing clothes, keeping my head bent. It was extremely hot outside, even for the fire nation, and I was dressed in a loose and tattered tank top that slightly showed some midriff and an equally tattered pair of shorts covered my bottom. My feet were slipped into a beat up pair of short boots.

"Leave us," he waved his hand at the still recovering soldiers and they quickly bowed and ran off. "I'm sorry to have interrupted you but your father has an important guest coming over very soon and he requests that you be there," his eyes glanced over me. "In more proper attire."

I slightly smiled at my grandfather's remark at my clothing. He was an old fashioned man and it took him forever to approve of my fire bending, although a part of me still felt like he only does so to appease my father. My father was the main advisor for the Fire Lord, so of course he holds a lot of influence, and is the only reason why my grandfather is allowed to live the pampered and luxurious life he does.

"Very well then." I tucked a few loose hairs behind my ear with a slender hand and followed after my grandfather's now retreating back.

The distance from my house to the place I was allowed to practice my fire bending at wasn't that long of a walk so I didn't mind it all that much, but I was still tired from my work out earlier. My aching yet defined muscles begged to be massaged and soaked in a steamy bath and I smiled at the thought of one.

We reached my house in a matter of minutes and I was glad to be away from the awkward silence that always surrounded me whenever I was alone with my grandfather. I rushed into the house in a very unladylike manner, but since when was I ever ladylike? Servants quickly rushed to my side as soon as I stepped into my room saying a bath was already prepared for me and a smile graced my features.

I quickly undressed behind my privacy screen and since only female servants were allowed in my room I didn't really have a lot to worry about but I was still a bit self conscious about my still maturing sixteen-year-old body. Slowly sliding my naked form into the steaming water I sighed as soon as my shoulders were emerged.

"Miss are you ready?" A servant called from the opposite side of a closed door.

I took a large breath and just let my tense muscles relax for a moment. "Yes, come in." The paper and wood door was slid back and a couple of my most trusted servants, Jen and Miko, walked into my elegantly decorated bathroom holding an assortment of items in their arms.

Jen and Miko set their items neatly down on the small wooden table and a vile of a milky liquid was poured into the water and the room was quickly filled a sent that was like vanilla mixed with fire somehow. It always relaxed me and left me with a content smile on my face. The two women scrubbed my body and combed my long black hair until all the dirt and sweat was no longer covering my body and they were satisfied with my cleanliness. They left the room leaving me to dry off and I slipped on a white silk robe when I was done.

I walked into my large room and saw three beautiful gowns laid out on my bed for me to choose from. Quickly scanning the choices, my fiery eyes landed on the maroon and black robes that had an ivory colored dragon embroidered on the fine silk. My servants came piling in when I stated that I had made my choice and I was seated in front of my vanity. My black hair was dried and brushed to a glossy sheen, but left to cascade down my back. A small amount of a rose tinted powder was applied to the apples of my cheeks, my fiery eyes were outlined in black and a quick unseen lick of my lips completed my look. I extremely disliked painting my lips, the stuff they put on them tasted horrible so I made them look pinker than they actually were with some good old-fashioned spit.

I looked into the mirror and the girl who stared back at me had a tan slender face, defined fiery eyes, and wasn't me at all. The girl who stared back at me looked like she wanted nothing to do with fighting, much less fire bending but that was exactly what I lived for. I blew my bangs out of my face and got up from the chair I was sitting in and made my way across the room to stand on a small stool in front of a three-way mirror. My white silk robe was slipped off of my frame and the highly more decorated ones replaced it.

The ivory colored sash was tightened around my narrow waist and black slippers were placed on my small feet. I stepped off of the stool with care so I didn't trip in the tight fabrics and left my room. As I walked down the long hall I caught a glimpse of the sun shinning beautifully above the arch of black mountains and the fire bender in me longed to feel it's warmth on my bronzed skin, but the daughter in me new I could only do so once my father was through with his guests and they were long gone. I sighed and cast my glance to the polished wooden floor and continued walking.

I soon made my way to my family's greeting room and was almost tackled to the ground once I came through the doorway. "Annie!"

I came face to face with the extremely wide smile of my little brother, Daiso, as he clung with all his might to my legs in his version of a bear hug. "It's good to see you too Dai." I cast a soft smile down to the innocent boy's face and bent down to kiss his forehead. Normally I would have scooped him up in my arms and give him a proper greeting but the clothes I wore weren't exactly the ones to be carrying anything in, especially a hyperactive five-year-old boy.

My beautiful mother looked as us both with loving eyes while my father looked anxious and nervous at the same time. Our guest must have been someone extremely important. I glanced towards my mother for reassurance to calm my now growing nerves and like always her kind smile placed one on my face as well.

I held Daiso's hand as he seemed keen to not letting me go. My father, mother, brother and I waited in an eerie silence and was soon joined by my now dressed up grandfather. He certainly didn't help at all with the discussion making and we were all soon drenched with an even thicker silence if possible.

A few of the longest moments of my life passed before our head servant slid open the thin door and knelt on his hands and knees to show respect. "Sir, your guests have arrived."

"Let them in." My father ordered with a deep voice, and automatically my families posture straightened. Even my overly excited little brother suddenly looked serious and composed, though his tiny hands still grasped my fingers firmly.

The door was slid back even more and I was met with a sight I never would have believed. Standing in the door way was the Fire Lord him self along with Princess Azula. Immediately all of our eyes were cast downwards as a sign of respect and my whole family bowed. "My Lord, it is an honor that you grace our home with your presence. Princess it is an honor as well."

After years of working directly with the Fire Lord my father knew exactly what to say to get on his good side. I had heard only stories about Fire Lord Ozai, all of them scary and intimidating yet none of them did him any justice to exactly how much he frightened me by just standing in the door. None of them exactly prepared me for the chill that had just ran down my spine making my blood run cold.

The Fire Lord gave off a grunt and muttered an unheard response to my nervous ears. "Allow me to introduce my family to you my Lord." My father walked over to where my mother, my brother and I were standing. "This is my wife Nessa." My mother curtsied respectfully when her name was mentioned. "This small thing here is my only son, Daiso." My father took Dai by his shoulders and pushed him towards the front, making our hands part and my nerves ached for his comforting hand. Daiso puffed out his chest to make it seem like he was slightly larger than he actually was but probably ended up looking like a ball of air more than anything. "And Annelle here is my eldest." I curtsied as low to the ground as my robes would allow me and kept my eyes cast towards the ground.

"I didn't come here strictly for formalities, Kotai, what is it that you need to show me?" The Fire Lord wasn't a very patient man. He and my father exited the room after a little small talk and the rest of my family was left in the room with Princess Azula.

"Come on Daiso, it's time for your schooling," my mother called my little brother towards her and they left the room.

I finally picked my eyes up off the floor and they landed on the strangely similar ones of the Princess. We stared at each other for a few moments until we couldn't hear any sounds in the house. Smiling I held my hand out to her and she took it like she always did and we swiftly yet quietly ran down the hallway our fathers had gone down. "Wait, Azula, I can't run so fast. If my clothes get wrinkled then my father will surely know that we were up to something," I whispered to her.

She stared back at me then down at our interlocked hands and sighed. "Very well then," she whispered back and we slowed to a fast walk.

Azula and I had been the best of friends since we could remember and as far as I knew it wasn't anything like the friendships she had with Mai and Ty Lee. There was no fear and intimidation anywhere in our friendship; we were simply two girls who shared a common interest. To be powerful.

We had discovered our bending powers at exactly the same time and had even trained together when it was permitted. I knew what she was like with other people but it didn't bother me one bit. Our friendship was a friendship to last a lifetime and we both knew it. It was almost like we were twin sisters separated at birth.

Nearing my father's study we heard voices and automatically our breathing slowed. Every step we took was a cautious one and our hands never left each other. It was our silent oath that we would always be there for the other, and frankly I thought she needed that reassurance more than I did, but I didn't mind.

A little bit of ease dropping didn't hurt anyone. There had to be a reason why my father didn't call any other officials over to the house and both Azula and I wanted desperately to know. "Sir, I've heard reports from a few soldiers stationed near the Southern Water Tribe. The Avatar has been spotted traveling with two children."

My ember eyes widened in shock and my heart gave a little flutter. I had always thought this war was wrong, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Being the daughter of the Fire Lord's main advisor it was sort of a given that I would support it, but how could I? Morally it was wrong and I knew it in my heart.

I glanced over towards Azula to see her reaction but like always her face was cold and conformed to show no emotion at all. "Well that certainly is important indeed, we will hold a meeting as soon as possible to discuss this matter."

Fear was raised in my heart when I heard the screeching sound of chairs being slid back. Azula and I both didn't have time to leave with out them seeing us. We made eye contact and I quickly glanced towards the ceiling spotting the many wooden beams and glanced back down towards her, hoping she could somehow read my mind.

We both quickly scaled up towards the large wooden beams above us, jumping from one wall to the other. Latching onto the wood we stayed there until our fathers were safely around the corner. Landing on nimble feet we straightened out our clothing and composed our selves. My heart, however, betrayed my calm features and continued to beat rapidly. The Avatar was alive.

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"Azula! What are you doing here?" I whispered in my tired state.

"Get up Annelle, we're going to spar." It wasn't a suggestion it was an order and I knew better than to deny the Princess of the Fire Nation.

She jumped back out of my now open window and I quickly pulled back my blankets and my bare feet made contact with the cold wooden floor. I crossed the room quickly and threw open my wardrobe. Pulling on a pair of black loose pants and a black tank top I grabbed a hair tie from my vanity. I made sure the door leading into my room was locked so no one would catch me sneaking out. I slipped on a light cloak and pulled the large hood over my head and jumped out of my window.

My bare feet crushed into the earth as I ran down the road to my practice area. Azula and I had often sparred together, and it was usually done in the dead of night. As I reached the area I could also see Mai and Ty Lee standing there along with Azula. "What's going on?"

"Oh nothing, they just wanted to tag along, and I knew you wouldn't mind. You don't, right Annelle?" She was a different person when other people were around and I wasn't sure I liked it very much.

"No, you're right. I don't mind." I did, but I wasn't going to voice my opinion so bluntly towards her. I tied up my straight black hair letting my bangs frame my face and we both got into the same stance, and our battle began.

In a matter of seconds the large area was surrounded in blue and white flames. For the most part, Azula and I were evenly matched and the battle lasted for a long time where neither of us got hurt all that badly.

"I hope you don't mind Annelle, I also told Mai and Ty Lee about the news we heard today." Azula said, as the fire that we threw at each other met in the middle of the field and disappeared. "Now that the Avatar is out of hiding he can finally be apprehended and taken down, then the no one can stop the Fire Nation from becoming the most powerful nation in the world!"

Her words stung at my heart more than I thought they would have. "Azula, this war is wrong! No one nation should be more powerful than the other!" I had lost my composure and I immediately wished I hadn't, but something in me came to life at that time and I liked the feeling of it. Whatever it was.

A look of shock passed over her face but as fast as it had come it was gone. "I didn't know you felt so strongly about this Annelle, don't you love your nation?" We were still fighting, but it seemed as if the battle had gone up a notch and I wasn't fighting just to improve my skills anymore. I was fighting for my voice. I was fighting to prove a point. I was fighting for the world.

"Your own brother was banished for voicing his opinion Azula, and I was a fool not to have done the same before today." I was giving her my all, and I was slowly gaining the upper hand. "My love for my nation hasn't changed one bit, it's my faith in it that has."

"Are you going to try and stop this war, because then you'll be a traitor Annelle?"

There was a pause in our fight when I looked into her eyes, panting heavily. "It's better than nothing." At exactly the same time we readied our selves for our final shot and at that time our life long friendship was broken.

Two bolts of lighting were fired into the night, yet only one hit it's mark.


End file.
